A "LOVE" NOTE... (from your pastor) 
It feels hard to believe that it is "fall," but the calendar says it is so. Kids are already back to school in the public schools in Davis, and fall beginnings in the church year are not far behind. I want to draw a couple of things to your attention.
Our first Sunday in September falls on Labor Day weekend this year, and this will again be an opportunity for all of us to reflect on how our various labors (especially our jobs) intersect with our faith, as we hear from church members who will share their thoughts with us all. This is one of my favorite services each year.
Then, worship this fall will call us back from summer by re-grounding us in why we are here. We will look at the question theologically on September 13th, digging into the very core of why we feel called to practice our faith in the context of church. We will look at the question with a focus on worship itself on September 20th, as we remind ourselves what it means to participate in worship, and reflect on the symbolic meaning and message of every act of worship.
On September 27th we welcome students - or welcome them back - with a special message from our campus minister at C.A. House (The Cal-Aggie Christian Association), the Rev. Tim Leighton. And October 4th and 11th will provide an emphasis on "Mindful Giving," as we consider stewardship from a new angle.
Beyond worship, September will offer an opportunity to work with the food for thought from this summer's discussions of the book The New Jim Crow. You are invited to come to the adult contemporary issues forum, where the focus will be on continuing to identify and choose action steps to work against racism, excessive rates of incarceration, and other issues related to racial justice. If you would like to see the ideas that had been brainstormed through the end of August, just contact Susan Padgett ( sdpadgett@sbcglobal.net) who can bring you up to date. I am so grateful to all of you for feeling such a sense of urgency about racial justice, and to everyone who is working hard at turning that sense of urgency into action. Together we can work actively against racism!
See you in church!
In Faith,
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